Reminisce

Everyone knows by now the Princess of Crunk&B's third album, Fantasy Ride, was released Tuesday to lackluster sales. Not only did it debut 3rd (when both Goodies & The Evolution shot to #1) but it was slain by Hannah Montana and Chrisette Michele. So the question of the day is: what happened. I have three theories below.

Singles and Error - Ciara struggled to hit the door running with something catchy ("Goodies") and artistically different ("Promise"). I personally loved "Go Girl" with T-Pain and was even feeling the various leaks online - "High Price" and "Work." But I'm not the only person the industry has to cater to, and each subsequent attempt failed. She settled for the sluggish "Never Ever" and the heard-it-all-before "Love Sex and Magic." Too Big Too Soon - Fantasy Ride focused to be a 3-disc endeavor, displaying three sides of Ciara: sort of a crazysexycool-type format. Perhaps spread herself too thin too soon.Swagger Jack - I guess Ciara couldn't find the right persona she wanted to embody, so she dipped her pysche in a lil' Sasha Fierce. "Magic's" video receieved major flak for resembling the treatment Bey had planned for "Ego." If we want to get technical though, Ci had the idea of a multi-disc project long before Mrs. Carter, but i digress.
So what is next for the once dominant diva of the Dirty South? A 10-city tour with Jay-Z. I'm not a back seat driver, so I'm just going to be silent and enjoy the ride. (pun intended)

In years past nothing was hotter and more bankable than children music acts. Tracing back to Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, tweens with smooth moves and smoother harmonies saw fame, success and credit for being legit artists. Nowadays it seems kid artists are only viewed as gimmicks, at least in the R&B and hip-hop world. Yes Miley, Taylor, and the Jonases have found their niche, but where is the spot for the next Shanice, Traci, or even ABC. Maybe it was something just for that time, or a trend that can only be taken in increments. The late 80s and early 90s had plenty artists under the age of 18. The mid-90s saw solo acts like Brandy, Monica, Aaliyah, Usher; and groups like Hi-Five and Immature hittin' up the charts. Even 00's had Sammie, Lil' Bow Wow, and Lil' Romeo battling on 106 & Park. Yet recently teens don't make a splash.For instance, the super talented Tiffany Evans. Not only does she have the chops for someone twice her age, Promise Ring was a banger, reminiscent of the 90s NJS sound. But she didn't get much play. Then there is Karina with her Alicia Keys-like style. Her alubm went unnoticed. Maybe its the awkward transition from adolescence to adulthood. Usher had to find his voice after My Way, and Chris Brown was pending during the release of Exclusive. Bow Wow struggles to connect with those fans that 'bounced wit him' back in the day, and transfer his skills to a more mature plane.Is it the industry? Is it the fans? I believe that children are our future, but clearly in the music biz they seem to be a thing of the past.